


A Short Long Year

by raths_kitten



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Christmas Fluff, M/M, Mistletoe, New Year's Eve, Slow Burn, but rushed, mentioned Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28327425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raths_kitten/pseuds/raths_kitten
Summary: After being ditched for Christmas by his brother, Dean invites Cas - who he only just recently met, but who really needs a place to stay - to have his spare room until he gets back on his feet. Cas ends up staying in the extra room for a full year.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 76





	A Short Long Year

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Destiel Secret Santa 2020](https://destielsecretsanta2020.tumblr.com) as a gift for lightforthedeadvine. I tried to add as many of your likes as possible. :)

Dean grabbed his coffee and cursed. When he had entered the coffee shop, there were a few free tables - but the people in front of him had nabbed some and just now a group claimed the last free table, which he’d been eyeing, by having half of them sit while the others joined the queue. That wasn‘t fair. Get your coffee and _then_ look for a table.

He knew he was being irrational, but dammit. His wifi was down and he needed to send in an assignment for his class. He needed to finish it first, too, but the bustle of the coffee shop should keep his mind more focused than the deafening silence at home.

Looking around once more hoping for anyone leaving, Dean heaved a sigh and was about to sit against the wall when he noticed another patron looking his way. It was a kid around his age and he looked kinda sad in a dark oversized hoodie, his hands buried in the sleeves. But when he realized Dean was looking at him, he heaved his stuffed backpack out of his chair and placed it on the floor.

Well, it was about as good an invitation as Dean was going to get. With a grateful smile he made his way over to the table. “Hey there,” Dean smiled. “Mind if I join you? It’s really crowded today.”

The boy nodded towards the empty chair and only made eye contact briefly before looking back down. He was really cute. Bright blue eyes and an unruly mop of dark hair.

Dean knew coffee shop etiquette required him to just sit down, ignore the other patron and do his thing and he really had to finish his paper, but… “I’m Dean,” he introduced himself.

His table companion hesitated, but then he smiled hesitantly. “Cas,” he replied.

Dean was about to start a conversation when his cell phone rang. He sighed and held up a finger, indicating to Cas that they weren’t done yet and then glanced at the display. It was his brother.

With a bright smile, Dean answered his phone. “Sammy, hey! Are you about to get on your plane?”

“Uhm, no. Dean, listen. Jess invited me to her family’s Christmas last minute. It’s in Aspen, Dean. They have a whole cottage and it’s gonna be a real traditional Christmas.” Sam sounded so excited, but Dean’s heart was breaking.

“We have Christmas traditions, too,” Dean couldn’t help but add.

“We watch Die Hard and get drunk. I bet you don’t even have a tree,” Sam protested.

Dean narrowed his eyes. He did. He’d worked hard so he could afford his new place and he finally had room for a tree, so of course he had one this year. But fine. He wasn’t going to stand in the way of Sam’s happiness. “Guess I’ll leave it up a little longer then so you can see it when you come for your college tour next year, huh?”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Sam hadn’t officially decided yet, but of course he’d join Dean here. It was what made Dean get his two bedroom apartment. Sam had been very encouraging about it. “Sam?” Dean prodded.

“I was going to tell you in the new year. I got accepted at Stanford and so did Jess. It’s not a full ride, but Jess’s parents are going to put us up. And they’ve already arranged a job for me.” Sam tried to tone down his excitement but Dean could tell that he was only doing so for his sake.

“That’s awesome, Sammy. I am proud of you.” Dean closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose. Now what was he going to do in his too big apartment all alone? He could hear Sam take a breath and probably prepare for a longer speech, but Dean couldn’t take much more right now. “Listen, I gotta go. Talk to you later, ok? Merry Christmas.” 

Dean didn‘t even wait for a reply and just disconnected the call. When he put his phone face down on the table, he became acutely aware of Cas who was sitting right next to him at the table. Cas was fidgeting with a thread on his hoodie but Dean was sure he‘d listened in, even if it was involuntarily.

“So…” Dean started and finally reached for his coffee. “What are your plans for Christmas?” He took a large gulp of the black liquid, happy when it burned going down. It was better than the numbness that was quickly starting to spread. He was looking at Cas over the rim of his mug but Cas avoided eye contact.

“Oh, uhm…” Cas looked down at his bag, then back at the table, then in the other direction. “I… don’t know yet.”

“Your family ditch you, too?” It was out of Dean’s mouth before he could think it through. His eyes landed on the bag again and he noticed that seemed to be filled to the brim with clothes. When he focused back on Cas himself he could see his eyes fill with unshed tears. Shit.

Cas bit his lip and cocked his head, then he straightened up and snorted. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“Man, I’m sorry.” Dean finally really looked at Cas and noticed how harrowed he seemed. When he noticed Dean’s exploring gaze, he quickly stuffed his hands into the opposite sleeves of his hoodie. But not before Dean spotted what looked a lot like bruises on his wrists. “Look… I know it’s none of my business, but…” Dean hesitated. “Do you have somewhere to go?”

“Oh, uh, sure,” Cas replied a little too quickly, avoiding Dean’s gaze. “Of course. Don’t worry about me.”

It would be easy to let it go. Cas probably didn’t want Dean meddling in whatever this was. But… Dean just couldn’t let it slide. “Because, you know, uhm… my brother just ditched me for the holidays and I already have his bed made up. And I bought so much food. It’s all going to go to waste now.” Cas slowly peaked up at him and Dean tried to look as non-threatening as possible. “Really, you’d be doing me a favor if you would at least come eat.”

Cas was peeking up at him and Dean could tell he really wanted to accept, but he wouldn’t allow himself to do so. Asking for help made you weak. It’s how Dean grew up, too. It was such bullshit. So as soon as Cas opened his mouth again, Dean beat him to it.

“You’re not asking me, Cas. I am offering. Take the offer. Please.” Dean placed both hands on the table, palms up. “I have an empty extra room. Don’t make me spend the holidays alone. And you have a quiet place to plan your next steps.”

Cas’s lips wobbled and he bit the inside of his cheek. Probably to keep from crying. Shit. But then he slowly nodded and Dean smiled. He only knew Cas for a few minutes, but the thought of him out there alone on Christmas would’ve really worn him down. Especially since he wasn’t lying. He didn’t want to be alone either.

Dean was tempted to bundle him up and go to his place right away, but then he remembered he still had to finish his assignment and send it in. And Cas seemed content to wait. After about an hour he got up and got them both a refill, refusing to take Dean’s money and paying for it himself. Dean didn’t know how much cash Cas had on him, but he definitely appreciated the gesture.

Cas ended up coming back with two mugs and an employment sheet from the coffee shop, which he diligently filled out while Dean finished off his assignment.

They went home a little later and after a day of Cas mostly staying in his room and not unpacking anything, he finally came out of his shell on Christmas Eve. Apparently a friend of his parents’ had caught him kissing another boy and his very religious family had kicked him out right away. They told him he might ask to come back once he’d straightened himself out - literally - but Cas was determined to never go back.

Dean shared that he himself never got a chance to come out. His mother died when he was four and he was bisexual, so in high school he played it safe. And before he gathered up the courage to come out to his dad, John had a heart attack. So when Cas shared his plan to defer college for a year and work to have a few savings until he went back, Dean told him he’d done the same. Which was why he would still be attending college at the same time as his younger brother. But apparently not at the same college anymore.

They got along extremely well and by the time the new year rolled around, Cas finally unpacked his sparse belongings. And was slowly accepting a few of Dean’s clothes for the time being as well.

Cas got lucky at the coffee shop and also found a job as bike messenger, so by February he was able to pay Dean some rent. When Sam came down for Dean’s birthday that month, Cas offered to move out for the time being or at least sleep on the couch, but Dean wouldn’t hear it. Sam slept on the couch and got along really well with Cas. Dean overheard them one night, when Sam was thanking Cas for looking after Dean and how Sam was really glad his brother wouldn’t be alone and he could attend Stanford with a good conscience.

Dean never let on that he’d heard, but was happy to see Cas be even more comfortable living with him afterwards. In March Dean even learned that Cas’s real name was Castiel. By accident, because he’d received mail addressed to his full name. Since it reminded him too much of his upbringing, Dean was happy to keep calling him Cas though.

By April Dean realized that he hadn’t dated anyone since Cas moved in, so he went to a party and tried to hook up. But everyone he met seemed to be somehow lacking. Dean just couldn’t put his finger on to what exactly it was he was suddenly missing. Until his friend Charlie teased him about his apparent new type - dark haired guys with blue eyes - and Dean realized who he really wanted to be with was Cas.

He immediately felt sleazy for it. After all, Cas relied on him. He couldn’t make a move and make him think he had to reciprocate or get thrown out again. Dean even went so far as to move away from Cas when they were sitting on the couch together or avoid casually touching him as much as he had - once he’d realized what he’d been doing in all those weeks before.

It all escalated to a full blown fight in June that ended with Cas giving a long speech about how he definitely wasn’t interested in Dean that way and could Dean please treat him like he used to without fear of Cas thinking it was more. Heart crushed, Dean forced himself to go back to how it used to be.

By the end of July Dean had finally accepted Cas’s words and with all hopes of a relationship dashed, he didn’t feel as weird about casually touching Cas anymore. So he didn’t have to awkwardly force it, and they were finally back to their casual intimacy from the beginning.

In September, Dean added Cas to the lease to make sure Cas really felt like he belonged - and because he had realized that Cas never brought any of his new friends around. When he casually mentioned this, Cas got all misty eyed and left for his room. A week later his signature was on the lease and his fellow barista Meg kept coming over.

She always vanished with Cas in his room and Dean hated her with a passion. But he was happy Cas had a friend. And he really, really hoped she was just a friend. Though if Cas turned out to be bi, too, Dean was the last person to say anything. He just… didn’t like having competition on both sides all of a sudden.

In November Meg also brought along her girlfriend Ruby and Dean visibly sighed in relief when they were introduced. Meg had grinned and winked at him afterwards, but since she still never really talked to him alone, Dean never found out what that had been about.

One year after their first meeting, they were hosting a Christmas party. Apparently one of their friends found it hilarious to hang some mistletoe while they were in the kitchen getting more snacks and drinks, because a little while later, Dean and Cas both found themselves unwittingly standing under it and all of their friends started chanting: “Kiss, kiss, kiss!”

So they did.

Dean had fully intended for it to just be a quick peck, but somehow, after that first peck… they didn’t stop. They just kept kissing, deepening it until Dean’s hands found their way to Cas’s waist and Cas’s hands were buried in Dean’s hair, keeping him close.

Their friends were shocked into silence - for all that Dean knew anyway - because it went on for a good while and he heard nothing but the rushing in his ears before their loud whistles and cheers brought them back to reality and had them spring apart.

None of them could blame alcohol because the party hadn’t even fully started yet. But each of them definitely drank a lot that night to avoid talking about it. Somehow, it did and didn’t work out. Because the next morning, Dean woke up with Cas in bed next to him. They were thankfully still mostly dressed, but their clothes were askew and their hair was standing up all over the place. They also each sported a bunch of hickies all along their necks. But Cas either also didn’t remember or he didn’t share.

They went back to avoiding each other until a week later, when on New Year’s Eve, they found themselves kissing again at midnight. Dean was definitely still sober and had actively tried to avoid just this by not drinking, but somehow, they had both gravitated into each other’s vicinity the closer it got to midnight.

This time, on their walk home together, they ended up holding hands. And they kissed again before going to their separate bedrooms. Dean barely slept that night and when he got up at an ungodly hour to start coffee and accept there would be no more sleep, Cas came back in from a run. Dean wordlessly raised his eyebrow and pointed at the clock on their wall and Cas just shrugged. He usually slept in even later than Dean. Then they both started grinning, met for a kiss in the kitchen and Dean cooked breakfast while Cas went to take a shower.

After breakfast they finally talked and realized they were both a couple of dumbasses who could have had this months ago. When they moved to Dean’s bedroom for a cuddle and a nap right after, they vowed to not waste any more time. 

So in January, Dean bought a bigger bed and Sam didn’t have to sleep on the couch anymore when he came to visit.


End file.
